Putting Glass Walls on Pennsylvania Slaughterhouses So We Can
See Behind Closed Doors
B.C. Natural Chicken

Citation: At approximately 0450 hours, while
waiting for the Cut-Up Department to be released by Quality
Assurance so I could perform preoperational sanitation verification,
I observed product grease and residue on several shackles and
kickouts in the Packing Department. On further inspection, I
observed greasy shackles along the entire length of the chickway
line. Two whole bird kickouts, at whole bird bagging and the saw
area, were also greasy. I rejected the shackle line with US Reject
tag no.B24000588. I informed QA tech and sanitation lead of the
deficiencies. When the Cut-Up Department was ready for my
verification inspection, I observed numerous small pieces of product
residue on the backstop of a whole bird kickout in the Cut-Up
Department. This was recleaned in my presence. I reinspected the
Packing Department shackle line, determined it acceptable, and
released the line to production at 0516 hours. On reviewing the
establishment's preoperational sanitation records, I observed that
the Packing Department was released at 0420 hours with no shackle or
line deficiencies noted. These deficiencies are a violation of 9 CFR
416.13(c) and the establishment's Sanitation Standard Operating
Procedures for preoperational sanitation. Plant management has
received oral and written notification of this noncompliance.

Regulation:

416.13(c) Each official establishment shall monitor daily the
implementation of the procedures in the Sanitation SOP’s.